Edition No. 13

11 Ways to Use Your IH Degree

by Ezekiel Haslam Jr.
AIHA Board of Directors

Not everyone with a law degree works as a lawyer. In fact, many people complete law school and then use that knowledge in business, medicine—or even industrial hygiene. And those who do practice law may rarely see the inside of a courtroom, depending on their specialty.

An industrial hygiene degree gives you a similar range of choices, many of which are very different from what we think of as traditional industrial hygiene. With an IH degree, you could move into any number of specialty fields—or find a position that combines several of them into one challenging and stimulating job.

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Industry, Consulting, Academia or Government.

Each of these choices has its pluses and minuses. An independent consultant deals with the same challenges as any small business owner, but they have the satisfaction of knowing that they are building their own practice in their own way. Government IHs are really in the center of it all, working on regulations, hazard investigations and new areas of research, but government employment has its own stresses and constraints. Academia can be an excellent choice for those who like the idea of breaking new scientific ground through research or mentoring the next generation of IH students.

Ergonomics.

The ergonomics field is one of growing importance and opportunity. As the U.S. economy continues its shift toward the service sector and the working population ages, musculoskeletal disorders will continue to rise. It’s not a field for those who dislike controversy or prefer to be backed up by strong federal or state regulations—at least for now—but if you like working with people and devising creative solutions, ergonomics is a field you should consider.

Indoor Air Quality.

IAQ investigations are an excellent choice for people who like variety. Every situation is unique; each client poses its own challenge and brings a different set of variables to the equation. It’s also a good choice for those who enjoy pioneering a new field where there isn’t a great deal of well-established science.

Hazardous Waste Management.

As long as there are industrial plants and other operations working with hazardous materials, there will be hazardous waste—and a need to make sure it doesn’t impact workers, the community or the environment. In addition, for those who like a broad platform for their compliance efforts, U.S. environmental regulations appear to have more “teeth” and stiffer penalties than most traditional occupational health and safety regulations.

Product Stewardship.

Product stewardship is an evolving discipline, but it’s an exciting one. It offers you the chance to work with a varied team of professionals. You get to look at the big picture—a product’s entire life cycle, from design to manufacturing process, packaging, end-user, disposal and/or recycling. Product stewards help to conserve natural resources while keeping people safe. If you’d like to focus on the “anticipate” side of the “anticipation, recognition, evaluation, control” paradigm, this may been an excellent career choice for you.

EHS Management Systems.

For those who really want to be proactive rather than reactive, EHS management systems work is a great opportunity. EHS management systems help you get ahead of problems by integrating EHS into the overall processes and procedures of a business. You also have the opportunity to work in step with company management, building lines of communication that can help business managers understand the importance of occupational health and safety.

Accident Investigation.

There are a number of high-level government groups that work to prevent future catastrophes by investigating those that have already taken place. Some of these agencies, including the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, include IHs as part of their investigating team. This type of work would be an excellent choice for those who like excitement and don’t mind the higher levels of stress that can come along with it.

International Practice.

There is a growing need for IH expertise outside the United States, and with it comes growing opportunities for IH professionals. If you enjoy travel and experiencing new places and cultures—or if you want to concentrate on the kinds of industrial problems that are more prevalent outside of the United States—international work may be the right field for you.

I’m excited about the many facets of an industrial hygiene career, and I hope you are too. Let’s spread the word!

"11 Ways to Use Your IH Degree," was written by Ezekiel Haslam Jr. Haslam, a CIH and member of the AIHA Board of Directors, is EHS consultant for Duke Energy, Charlotte, N.C.

This article is reprinted with permission from The Synergist, a publication of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), and was originally published in October 2004. For reprints of this and other articles, or to learn more about AIHA, go to http://www.aiha.org.